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There are certain brands in life that you realize you have always used. They’ve been a part of all of life’s adventures. That’s how I feel about Hefty®, and I’m proud to be partnering with them for this post, to talk about my mom and strong women!

I remember the first time I realized my mom wasn’t perfect.

I know, right? I think my kids have already figured that out about me (makes bad jokes, is afraid of roller coasters, impatient driver) but I thought my mom was perfect even when I was in middle school. Even in high school! Especially when she showed up to re-park my car, after I had somehow locked the keys in the car with the engine running while taking up two parking spaces at once, and was wearing paint-splattered overalls and sneakers with rainbow shoelaces. AND, we happened to be having a fire drill at that exact time so she smiled broadly at me, waving wildly out the open window. Everyone got to see that I had locked my keys in the car with the engine running, and that my rainbow-clad mom was there to save me.

See what I mean? Perfect to me.

The “fall from grace” which really just an uphill climb – you know, finding out she’s HUMAN but still awesome – happened in San Francisco. She came alone for her first visit out there to see me. We had limited space in our apartment and we were also hosting Cassidy’s two brothers. My grandmother had fallen and hurt herself and we were both nervous about that.

I was so flustered about everything that I drove the wrong way down a one way street in Chinatown, with traffic coming directly at us. Luckily, I was born with a natural tendency to be great in crisis situations so I didn’t bat an eye. I pulled over, waved an apology to oncoming traffic and pulled onto a two-way street. My mom was impressed with me. I, however, was not impressed with her. She has never had a good sense of direction and couldn’t figure out where we were at any time.

I drew her a map to get her to a studio two blocks from my house. I could say, “The direction of the sunset!” and it wouldn’t ring a bell. Or I could say, “We went there last night” and I’d be met with a confused, “Yeah, so?” I could even say, “Walk out the door, turn left, turn right, then turn left.” and it wouldn’t work. She’s visual so I drew a map. It was the first time I’d ever felt a growing frustration with her. She had been my superhero since I was born. I was upset that I was upset. And, I was even more annoyed that she was only human. My rudimentary map was terrible and then we both turned to laughter.

I should have understood what she was going through sooner. She was flustered, alone in a city she hadn’t visited in decades, concerned for her mom, and also still a mother. My mother. Some things never change, like a mother’s strength.

And I know that now that I’m a mom. It astonishes me how flawless my mom was in the sandwich generation. She’d serve her 100-year-old mom cake, hold my baby to get him to sleep, while scrambling eggs for me. Now that my grandmother is no longer with us, it’s my turn to carry some of that strength. Throughout life, I have greeted every problem in my life with, “If I can’t figure it out, I’ll go to my mom.” I have greeted every obstacle in my life with, “If I can’t remove this obstacle, my mom can.” I have greeted every dream in my life with, “If I can’t turn this dream into a reality, my mom can help me.” Eventually I had to learn to soar on my own, knowing she’s always there. I do the same for my daughter.

Three generations – supporting each other and lifting each other up.

Now let’s talk Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags! As you know, this is a staple in our household. We love that they celebrate strong moms, who tackle strong messes on a daily basis. I always said I’d be a city girl, but here I am, TOTALLY like my mom. She uses Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags to manage seven acres, a large house, a dog, a cat, a horse, a mule, and a pony. (Yes, really) And I manage a medium house with large dreams, two kids, a dog, a cat, and a bunch of chickens!

Today’s moms are Ultra Strong in everything they do, but it’s because our moms and our mom’s moms and even our mom’s mom’s moms (my great-grandmother lived to 99) were Ultra Strong. I love this passing of the baton from generation to generation of living life big and open-hearted and supportive. Hefty® gets it! They teamed up with John Cena and his mom, Carol Cena, for Mother’s Day in this hilarious commercial. And Carol Cena knows a thing or two about ultra-strength and ultra-savings!

Moms know best, don’t they? Especially when it comes to spending wisely and making smart decisions for her family. Although all credit to Cassidy too because in my absence, he will always pick up Hefty® Ultra Strong™ trash bags! They offer “Hefty Hefty Hefty” strength at a low price and they feature Triple Action Technology to resist tears, punctures, and leaks. The break-resistant grip drawstring prevents the bag from falling inside the can, and the bags have ARM & HAMMER™ patented odor neutralizer. Not to mention their 100% satisfaction guarantee.

And that’s that Hefty® can handle all your trash bag needs, or your money back!

The thing is, it’s a bit of a love story. I didn’t realize you could fall madly in love with English Muffins, but you CAN! These are SO good! You can have them with butter next to scrambled eggs, and be completely happy. My kids like them with butter AND peanut butter (a new one for me, I admit) and have them every morning. I wanted to play, though! I love English Muffins for French Toast recipes, for Eggs Benedict, and for making Crispy Cinnamon Toast. There are endless ways to enjoy Bays® English Muffins. They have the perfect shape and perfect consistency. I knew I had to get fancy for Mother’s Day.

Gorgeous, right? Cassidy taught me how to caramelize the muffins in butter, sugar and cinnamon until they’re golden and crispy. Separately, we make a mean mascarpone topping. Then we add freshly sliced fruit! In terms of English Muffin toppings, this is the way to go for special occasions. A little basil and nutmeg on top, and you’re in flavor country. You can’t imagine the taste when you take your first bite! This is what moms want for Mother’s Day! And we have a lot to celebrate, so stay tuned for a recipe and sweepstakes. We’re talking all things Mother’s Day right now, and I couldn’t be happier!

Just for a quick shoutout, Cassidy bought this tablecloth/flowers for Passover, and they are still going strong:

As always, feel free to email me with any recipe questions. We got it pretty perfectly on the first shot, but learned a lot along the way. Considering that we have three moms to cook for, we wanted to get it just right for Mother’s Day!

Tada! It’s like magic. You can do no wrong with English Muffin toppings, if you put that much care into them. Speaking of which, let’s talk about Mother’s Day. You can celebrate it with breakfast in bed, courtesy of Bay’s® English Muffins, and with a chance to win a spa gift card for a special mom in your life! Whether it’s your mom, your daughter, your grandmother, your aunt, your mother-in-law, your sister, your neighbor, and so on, make that beloved mom feel special all day long!

Enter the sweepstakes now, and every day until May 13th, for a chance to win a $200 spa gift card. There’s no purchase necessary. Simply enter the sweepstakes here from April 24th – May 13th. Official rules are at bays.com.

And to really get your taste buds going, check out this video:

So what do you think? Ready to serve breakfast in bed, AND, enter for a chance to win a $200 spa gift card? I know I am. This is the perfect way to celebrate the wonderful moms in your life, and show them just how much you really care.